1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a self-propelled land vehicle system for recovery of oil and similar contaminants which have spilled on snow and ice surfaces.
2. Background
The continued development of petroleum reserves located in arctic regions and regions which, at least from time to time, are covered by snow and ice on the earth's surface has brought forth the problem of suitable recovery of crude oil and other contaminants which may be accidentally spilled on snow and ice surfaces. Although several inventions have been developed for recovery of oil spilled in the sea and which has washed ashore, such as evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,292,430 to Sullivan, et al and 4,840,729 to Levine, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention, heretofore relatively scant attention has been paid to developing means for recovering oil and similar substances spilled on snow and ice covered surfaces. It is to this end that the present invention has been developed.